Tray-box machine.



` E.,w. LABOMBARDE.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

(R01. www' E. W. LABONIBARDE.

TRAY BOX MACHINE.'

APPLICATION FILED IAN. al. 1914.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- E. W. LABOMBARDE.

TRAY BOX MACHINE.

APPLlcATIoN FILED 1m31, 1914.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. W. LABOMBARDE.

TRAY BOX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.3|.1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

E. W. LABOMBARDE.

TRAY BOX MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IMI. 31. I9I4.

Patented.' Oct. 15, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

@emga ELIE W. LABOMBARDE, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TRAY-BOX MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Application led January 31, 1914. Serial No. 815,649.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIE W. LABOMBARDE,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tray-Box Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to the making of boxes and refers particularly to machinery for making open-top boxes, which are usually shallow and either have separate sliding sheaths or separate covers.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and rapidly operating automatic machine for converting {iat blanks into boxes of tray form.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; l

Fig. 2a is a plan view of a blank' which may be operated upon by the machine to convert it to tray box form;

Fig. 2b is a perspective view of a portion of a box, to illustrate an operation of the machine;

Fig. 2c is a longitudinal sectional view of a box made by the machine;

FFig. 3 is a detail section on line 3 3 of Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2, omitting some of the non-essential parts of the frame of the machine;

F ig..5 is a detail section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the machine, from the opposite side to that illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the cam mechanism for operating the pressing plunersg Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7; Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are detail sectional views illustrating different steps ofthe operation of the machine.

Similar reference characters indicate the f same or similar parts in all of the views.

mechanism hereinafter described, including a. feed table 21 at one end, said feed table being pivotally supported at 22 (Fig. 1) and having means whereby its angle may be adjusted, said means comprising a rod 23 pivotally connected to the table at 24 and pass ing through a clamp sleeve 25 pivotally supported upon a transverse rod 26.

A pile of box blanks having a shape substantially as illustrated in Fig. 2a is supported upon the table 21 between adjustable side plates or guides 27, the blanks being fed from the top of the pile by mechanism similar to the top feed devices shown in my Patent 1,112,811, October 6, 1914. Said mechanism will be briefly explained herein. It comprises a friction or combing roll 28 (Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4) carried by a shaft 29 having a ratchet wheel 30. Mounted to oscillate on the shaft 29 is the hub 31 having a disk 32 provided with a spring-pressed pawl 33 engaging the ratchet wheel 30. Carried by said hub 31 is a pinion 34 with which a rack 35 meshes. The rack is connected to an eccentric strap 36 mounted on an eccentric 37 carried by the shaft 38 so that as said shaft and eccentric rotate the rack 435 is reciprocated and, through the pawl and ratchet wheel described, an intermittent motion is imparted to the friction roll 28 to remove the forward or top blank of the pile on the table and advance said blank over aguide or guides 39 so that said blank will be grasped between an idler roll 40 and the lower carrying belt hereinafter described. To prevent more than one blank at a time from being fed, I provide one or more retarding devices comprising a friction pad 41 carried by an arm 4-2 pivoted at 43, the forward end of the retarding device being adjustable as by means of a screw 44 mounted in a bracket 45 supported on a cross-bar of the machine.

To positively hold back the second or following blank so that it cannot possibly be passed along until a predetermined moment I provide stop fingers 46, the front ends of said fingers being curved upwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, there being one of said stop fingers leach side of the retard 41, as shown in Fig. 2. The stop fingers are carriedv by brackets 47 secured to a transverse rod 48, said rod 48 being carried by arms 49 of a rockshaft 50 (Fig. 6). One of the arms 49 ting the has operatively connected to it one end of a pitman 51, the lower end of said pitman having a yoke 52 which traddles the shaft 38 having a cam 53 engaging a roll 54 carried by the yoke 52 so that as the shaft 38 rotates the cam will cause the pitman 51 to reciprocate and swing the stop lingers 46 to and from the position shown in Fig. 4. rlhe timing of the operation is such that the cam 53 causes the curved ends of the stop fingers 46 to move upwardly just after a blank has been fed past them, and to be lowered in time to release the next blank at the proper moment to insure the passage of the blanks through the machine so uniformly spaced that each blank will reach the proper posi- -tion for the further operations hereinafter described, at the moment when the operating members are ready to act.

After each blank passes the idler roll 40 itis taken between upper and lower carrier belts 60, 61. The upper belt is mounted on pulleys 62, 63 carried by shafts 64, 65, the upper stretch of said belt passing over an adjustable belt-tightening roll or pulley 66 and under a pair of idle rolls 67. The lower carrier belt 61 is mounted on pulleys 68, 69 carried by shafts 70, 71, the lower stretch of said carrier belt passing under an adjustable belt-tightening pulley 72 and over an idle pulley 73. r1`he bearings of the upper shafts G4, are adjustable by suitable ordinary devices, such as indicated in Fig. l. 1n practice the cooperating stretches of the upper and lower carrier belts are not so close together as to forcibly move the blanks when the latter are held back or arrested by the stop devices hereinafter explained.

As has been stated, the cooperating stretches of the carrier belts do not grip the blanks tightly. l sometimes employ stop devices to aline the blanks shortly after they enter between the carrier belts to make it certain that they will not be askew as they pass along to the glue applier presently described. Such stop devices comprise arms 74 carried-by brackets secured to a rockshaft 75 (Figs 1, '2, 4 and 6). An arm 76 of said rockshaft is connected to a pitman 77 adapted to slide in a suitable bearing 78, said pitman having a roll 79 which is actuated by a cam 80 on shaft 38, the timing of the operation of said cam being such that the stop arms 74 will rise and fall, keeping the position shown in Fig. 4 long enough to engage the front edge of a blank at two points on opposite sides of the center portion which is grasped by the carrier belts so that the blank, if askew, will be brought up squarely against the bent ends of the stop arms, said arms then rising and permitblank to be advanced by the carrier belts, with the portions al of each blank a (Fig. 2a) passing over glue-applying disks a assises 81 (Fig. 2, and dotted lines, Fig. 4). As the means for keeping the peripheries of the disks coated with glue forms no part of the present invention, detailed illustration and description thereof will be unnecessary. By the term glue, 1 mean any adhesive capable of securing overlapped portions of the blank together.

As shown in Fig. 4, there are two sets of guiding rolls 82 in position t0 bear upon the upper surface of the lower stretch of the upper carrier GO, while the upper stretch of the lower carrier rides along a plate 83. The rolls 82 are carried by frames S4 which are preferably held downwardly bysprings S5 so as to exert Sufficient pressure upon the lower stretch of the upper belt to render it certain that the cooperating stretches of the two carrier belts will grasp the belts with sufficient friction to feed them, but not so tightly as to prevent the blanks from being temporarily arrested at portions of their travel elsewhere than underneath the rolls 82.

After each blank passes the glue disks 8l, it is arrested by stops S6 in position to have the small corner flaps c (Fig. 2a) of the blank broken down by the four benders or plungers presently described. The stops 86 comprise arms secured to brackets carried by a rockshaft S7 (Figs. 1 and 4). rlhe rockshaft Si' has an arm 88 connected by a link S9 with an arm 9G of rockshaft 75, this construction resulting in the stops 74 and S6 descending simultaneously. They are so spaced, however, that the stops S6 arrest a blank in position to have its corner flaps broken down at the same time that the stops 74 arrest the next following blank prior to the latter reaching the glue disks. l will state here that the stops 74 are not always essential to the operation of the machine` although they possess the features of utility hereinbefore described.

rl`he stop fingers 46,74 and 86 as shown in Figs. :2 and 4, have straight shanks passing through the brackets which carrv them.

whereby they maybe longitudinally ad,

justed to accord with varying sizes or shapes of blanks, the blanks frequently having folding flaps at one edge which are differently shaped from those at the other edge. 1f the shanks will not retain their adjusted positions by friction, suitable binding screws such as illustrated in Fig. 4 may be employed. T he brackets which carry the stop lingers are themselves adjustable rotatively on their rock shafts, and held by binding screws as shown in Fig. 4, to enable proper positioning to be effected when `the arms are shifted longitudinally.

Since thestops are arranged in pairs, the feed belts passing between the stops of each pair, the movement of the feed belts, when a blank is arrested by a pair of stops, will v guided by quickly square up the blank according to the predetermined setting of the stops.

It will be seen that the stops 74 and 86 are in positions to arrest blanks while the latter are not held tightly between the carrier belts. In order that the blanks will be instantly so gripped by the belts, after the stops rise, as to insure accurate and immediate travel of the blanks, I employ pressing rolls which operate alternately with `the said stops. As the pressing rolls for each pair of stop arms are the same, a description of one will be suicient for both. Each pressing roll 91 is carried by arms 92 of a rock shaft 93 having a toothed segment 94 meshing with a toothed segment 95 carried by the rockshaft that carries the stop arms. Said segments are best illustrated in Fig. 5, which shows the mechanism just described, in connection with rockshaft 75. It will be readily understood that as the cam 80 (Fig. 6) causes the rockshaft 75 to oscillate, the segment 95 of the latter will actuate the rockshaft 93 in a direction to cause the pressing roll 91 to bear upon the lower stretch of the upper carrier belt the moment that the stop arms 74 rise, so that the released blank willbe immediately gripped by the traveling belts and advanced through the machine. Since the stop arms S6 operate simultaneously with the stop arms 74 through the connections hereinbefore described, the pressing.

roll 91 near said stop arms 86 will be caused, through the toothed segments 94, 95, to act in the same manner upon the lower stretch of the upper carrier belt, but on a portion of the latter which will grip the blank immediately after the operation of the benders, which I will now describe.

Said benders comprise four lungers 96, adjustably mounted in blocks 97) carried by arms 98 projecting from sleeves 99 mounted von a cross-rod 100 (Fig. 4), there being two sleeves 99, each having two arms 98. The cross-rod 100 is mounted at its ends in two sleeves 101 sgzured to two vertical slide rods 102 (Figs. 2 and` 6). The rods 102 are a cross-bar 103 and in suitable bearings indicated at 104 in Fig. 6. Springs 105 between the cross-bar 103 and collars 106 secured to the rods 102 normally hold said rods and the benders or plungers 96 in their uppermost positions. To depress said rods and benders, each of the rods 102 has a transverse pin 107 engaging ayoke in an arm 108 of a rockshaft 109. Said rockshaft has another arm 110 pivotally connected to a pitman 111 having a yoke 112 which straddles a shaft 113, said shaft having a cam 114 which engages a roll 115 projecting from the pitman. The speed and timing of the operation of the parts is such that as each blank reaches the stops 86, the benders 96 descend and engage the corner flaps 0 of the blank (Fig. 2a) and bend them down to about the osition shown in Fig. 9. It is to be explained herein, however, that at this time the blank has not yet reached the position in the machine indicated in Fig. 9. The blanks are preferably scored in the places indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2a, there being cuts in the blank which divide the flaps c from the end portions d. When the benders 96 act as just described, they serve to break down the corner flaps c along their scored lines so that said {iaps will retain the downwardly flexed positions indicated in Fig. 9 so they will stand in the proper position for the further folding hereinafter described.

Immediately after the rise of the benders 96, or as they are rising, the stops 86 rise and the pressing roll 91 descends so as to cause the upper carrier belt to bear down upon the blank and grip the latter frictionally against the lower carrier belt so that said belts, which are constantly traveling, will carry the blank alonof until it escapes between those portions of the belts which are mounted upon the pulleys 65, 69, thus delivering the blank to the forming or folding devices presently described, the blank when so delivered being in substantially the somewhat flexed shape indicated in Fig. 9. F iXed guide wires 116 (Figs. 2 and 4) prevent the blank from adhering to the lower belt and direct it between two iXed but adjustable side plates 117 carried by arms 118 having foot flanges engaged by screws 119, said screws passing through slots in the cross-bar 120 of the machine so that, by means of this construction, the distance of the plates 117 from each other can be varied for different sizes of blanks. Each blank as it is fed to this position contacts with upright stop pins 121 adjustably connected with and supported by the arms 118. The combined eEect of the guide wires 116, plates 117 and stop pins 121 is to deposit each blank in the position shown in Fig. 9, these members practically constituting a receptacle or receiver into which the blanks are successively delivered.

Vertically movable in substantially the center of the space between the plates 117 is the forming block 122 having a recess 123 in its upper surface, said block being removably secured to the end of a hollow r od 124, as by means of a screw 125, so that different sizes of forming blocks may be substituted one for another. The hollow rod is guided to move vertically in bearings in the crossbar 120, and in a lower cross-bar 126 (Fig. 4). A plate 127, which will be hereinafter referred to as the ejector, is removably secured to the upper end of a rod or stem 128 which is vertically movable 'within the hollow rod 124, different sizes of plates 127 being preferably employed when di'erent li La sizes of forming blocks are used. Before describing the operation of these members upon the blank, 1 will explain the mechanism for reciprocating` the two rods 124, 12S, referring especially to Fig. 4.

A lever 129 pivoted to the frame at 130 is formed with a yoke at its free end engaging a pin or pins 131 projecting from the hollow rod 124. A pitlnan 132 connected to the lever 129 is forked at its lower end and straddlesl the shaft 113, said pitman having a roll 133 which rides upon a cam 134 secured to the shaft 113. Said cam 134 has portions of different lengths of radius, as indicated at 135, 136, 137, the operations of which will be hereinafter explained. A web 138 is shown in Fig. 4, this device being a well-known one employed in connection with a cam, such web having a flange to engage the rear side of the roll 133 to insure the positive ret-urn of the pitman 132 and lever 129 after the portion 137 of the cam has passed the roll. This is to insure such return during rapid operation, although the .f main reliance for the return of downward movement of the hollow rod 124 is placed upon a spring 139 between the cross-bar 126 and the collar 140 secured to the hollow rod. Below the pins 131 the hollow rod 124 is slotted or cut away to permit pins 141 to project from the rod 12S, said pins being engaged by a yoke at the free end of a lever 142 pivoted at 143 and having a pitman similar to but shorter than the pitman 132,

having a roll 144 bearing upon a cam 145 secured to shaft 113. rlf`he cam 145 acts to raise the rod 128 and the ejector plate 127 at the proper time, the lowering of said rod being effected by its weight, which may be. supplemented by a suitable spring 146 connected to its lower end and to a fixed part of the frame.

As shown by comparing Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the two cams carried by the shaft 113 act to change the relative positions of the block 122 and ejector plate 127. lhen the blank is irst deposited between the plates 117 the members 122 and 127 stand in the positions shown in Fig. 9. Then the rod 128 rst rises so that the plate 127 carries the blank up to the position shown in Fig. 10, at which point it stops, the movement to this position being effected by the portion 136 of the cam 134. As the parts approach the position shown in Fig. 10 the side flaps b of the blank (Fig. 2a) are broken downwardly by the lower edges of two plates 147, which are supported as hereinafter described, each plate 147 having downwardly extending, slightly curved prongs 143, r1`he space between the front and rear plates 147 is substantially equal to the space between the score lines which mark the iiap b from the body of the blank. 1n brief, the flaps Z) are held while the middle portion of the blank is being pushed upwardly. At the same time the prongs 148 engage the corner flaps c, which have been previously broken down and flexed somewhat as hereinbefore described, so that as the blank passes to the position shown in Fig. 10` the corner iaps 0 turn somewhat in under the end portions Z (Fig. 2a), or toward the position shown in Fig. 2b. .Vhile the blank is in this position, and with its corner flaps c partially in under the portions d, the end .flaps d', which have previously had stripes of glue applied thereto, as indicated at e in Fig. 2a, by means of the glue disks 81 hereinbefore described, are folded toward each other by blades 149 carried by horizontally sliding rods 150. rll`he mechanism for operating said blades will be described hereinafter.

'lwo pairs of rods 151 project inwardly from side members of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2, and at their inner ends support a box or throat 152 through which the folded bones are pushed as presently described, said bonv or throat having yielding catches 153 to retain each box as it is inserted into said throat, Each pair of rods has a plate 154 secured to the inner ends of said rods, the throat 152 being removably connected to said plates, as by means of screws 155, so that different shapes of throats can be substituted one for another. rlhe rods 151 are of curse mounted so as to be longitudinally adjustable by any suitable structure to provide for varying sizes of throats 152.

Secured to the sides of the frame 20 and projecting inwardly therefrom are two pairs of rods 156, see particularly Figs. 7 and 3. Mounted on the inner ends of said rods 156 is a block 157 which is steadied by a link 15S connecting said block with a sleeve 159 mounted on a shaft 160, the latter of course rotating within said sleeve for the purpose presently described.

Mounted to slide on the rods 156 is a block 161, normally pressed inl the direction of the arrow (Fig. 7 by a spring 162. Secured to said block 161 so as to reciprocate therewith is a rod 163, the connection between said block and rod being adjustable by means of the securing screws 164 so that the rod 163 can be adjusted in the direction of its length. As illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, there are two of the rods 163. Fach has at its inner end a presser block 165 secured thereto flush with the inner end of the rod 163. Projecting from the face of each presser is a flange or shoulder 166.

Fach rod 150 hereinbefore mentioned is mounted in the block 161 below the rod 163, so as to have a limited sliding movement in said block, a spring 167 shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7 being employed to normally hold the rod 15() outwardly or, in other words, press it in the same direction as that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7. The block 161 has a projection 168 carrying a roll 169 which is engaged by a cam disk secured to the shaft 160. Said cam disk has operative portions of different heights, as indicated at 170, 171, 172 respectively. Adjustably secured to the periphery of the cam disk is a tappet cam 173 adapted to engage a roll 174 carried by an arm 175 adjustably clamped to the rod 150.

In order to supplement the action of the spring 162 and insure the return of the rod 163 and after it has been acted upon by the cams as presently described, I secure to the shaft 160 an arm 176, the securing screw being shown at 177 the outer end of the arm 176 being beveled or inclined as at 178 to engage the outer side of `roll 169 and cause said roll to positively recede after the cam 172 has acted upon it. The timing of the operations of the parts of. the mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is such that after the blank has been moved from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10, the rods 150 are shifted slightly toward each other to bend the flaps fl farther in than shown in Fig. 10. At this time only the plate 127 has been raised so as to cause the side flaps to be bent down as already described and the corner liaps c to be turnedA inwardly. As the machine operates further the presser-s 165 approach each other toward the position shown in Fig. 11, and the forming block 122 rises, the acute-angled edges of the latter bending the flaps d upwardly so as to inclose the corner iaps c, the pressers 165 at the same time approaching each other so as to aid in converting Athe blank from the form shown in Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 11. At the same time that the pressers 165 approach each other the flanges 166 move in above the body of the blank so as to hold it and prevent it from springing upwardly or away from the plate 127 and block 122 during the final movements of the pressers. When the pressers 165 are in the position shown in Fig. 11, the roll 169 (Fig.

V7) is on the portion 171 of the cam disk.

Further rotation of the cam disk in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 8) causesjehe cam portion 172 to act on the roll 169 to cause each presser to move from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 12, the action being with sufficient force to complete the formation of the boX and set the adhesive e (Fig. 2b), whichhas been previously applied, the form of the complete box being shown in Fig. 2c. The timing of 'the operation of the parts of the machine 'is such that the pressers next move outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 9. The forming block 122 recedes before the plate 127 rises to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 12, thus carrying the box up into the throat, 152, where it is retained by the catches 153. This last mentioned rise of the plate 127 is effected by the cam 137 shown in F ig. 4. The action of said cam 137 is abrupt, and ,then the plate 127 is immediately returned and follows the block 122 down to the position shown in Fig. 9.

As each box is completed, the preceding one (which has been held by the catches 153) is pushed upwardly through the throat 152, and as each block leaves said throat it is tilted over by a deiiector 179 (Figs. 4 and 12) so that it will then fall onto a chute 180 to be directed into any suitable receptacle.

In order that each blank, as it leaves the carrier belts, will be certainly deposited against the stops 121 (Fig. 4), I employ a pair of swinging pushing lingers 181, the upper ends being normally below the pla ne of the blanks as they issue from the carrier belts. Said fingers 181 are carried by a rock-shaft 182 mounted in a bracket 183 secured to a pin 184, said pin being supported by a bracket 185 depending from the crossbar 120. The rockshaft 182 has an arm 186 to which is connected the upper end of a pitman 187 having a forked yoke at its lower end having a roll 188 engaged by a cam 189, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. r1`he timing of the operation of the cam 189 is such that after each blank has issued from between the carrier belts and has slid more or less down the guide wires 116, the swinging fingers 181 will move toward the right in Fig. 4, engaging the rear edge of the blank just deposited between the plates 117, and push said blank against the stops 121.

The various parts 0f the machine are driven in proper timing and at proper speeds by the following mechanism, chiefly illustrated in Fig. 1. The drive shaft 190 having fast and loose pulleys 191, 192 (Fig. 2) has a spur gear 193 meshing with a gear 194 secured to shaft 113. A train of gears 195, 196. 197, 198, and a sprocket 199 combined with the latter, carries motion through the chain 200 and sprocket 201 to the shaft 160. A tightener 202 carried by an adjustable arm 203 may be employed for the chain 200. The shafts 65` 71 carrying the pulleys for the upper and lower belts are provided with pinions 204, 205 which intermesh as shown in Fig. 1. The shafts 64, having pulleys for the other ends of theupper and lower carrier belts have intermeshing pinions 206 and 207. t

l The shaft 113 has a sprocket 208 connected by a chain 209 with a sprocket 210 secured to a stud shaft 211. By means of a train of gears 212, 213. 214 motion is transmitted to the pinion 207 of shaft 70 whereby the carrier belts are caused to move continuously.

The shaft 38, which carries the eccentric for actuating the feed wheel, is provided with a gear 215 meshing with the member 213 of the train. A gear 216 secured to the Lesina-3e shaft Q17 of the glue disks meshes with the member 212 of the train. rlhe glue box is indicated at 218 in F ig. A.

During the operation of the machine hereinbefore described, when the benders 96 descend, they pass down slightly beyond the sides of flat upright bars or supports 219 which are supported on transverse rods 220 (Figs. Q and A), said bars 219 forming supports each side of the carrier belts, which supports are adjustable laterally on the rods 220 in order that they may be set in proper positions to hold the body of the blank a just inside of its score lines while the benders 96 depress the corner flaps c.

Having described my invention, l claim:

1. A machine of the character described, comprising a throat having a straight passageway through it, a forming block movable to and from said throat, feed devices for supplying blanks intermittently between the block and throat, folders movable toward and from opposite sides of the forming block, and means for pushing each folded article along through the throat.

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a throat having a straight passa geway through it, a forming block movable to and from said throat, feed devices for supplying blanks intermittently between the block and throat, two pairs of folders movable toward and from opposite sides of the forming block, the folders of each pair being dierentially movable, and means for pushing each folded article along through the throat.

3. A machine of the character described, comprising a receiver for blanks having side, end and corner flaps, said receiver having a straight passageway through it, a block movable relatively to said receiver, folders coperating with said block for folding the side flaps, turning the corner flaps toward each other, and doubling the end flaps to inclose said corner flaps, and means for transferring the folded blanks entirely through the receiver.

A. A machine for converting blanks having side, end and corner flaps, into tray boxes, comprising gluing devices for applying glue adjacent the extreme edges of the end iaps, a throat being open at both ends, coperating holding and folding members adjacent one end of the throat for automatically and successfully folding the side flaps, turning the corner flaps toward each other, and doubling the end flaps to inclose said corner flaps, and means for transferring the folded blanks entirely through the throat.

5. A machine for converting blanks having side, end and corner naps, into tray boxes, comprising a throat open at both ends, cooperating holding and folding members adjacent one end of the throat for automatically and successively folding the side naps, turning the corner flaps toward each other, and doubling the end flaps to inclose said corner flaps, means for supplying blanks to said holding and folding members at uniform intervals, gluing devices for applying glue to the end iiaps before the blanks reach said members, and means for transferring the folded blanks entirely through the throat.

6. A machine for folding box blanks hav ing a plurality of flaps, comprising carriers for forwarding the blanks, means for partially folding some of the flaps of each blank at an intermediate point of the travel of the latter, means for arresting the blank during the partial folding, and folding devices in another location for completing the formation of the box.

7. A machine for folding box blanks having a plurality of Haps, comprising carriers for forwarding the blanks, means for partially folding some of the flaps of each blank at an intermediate point of the travel of the latter, means for arresting the blank during the partial folding, and folding devices for completing the formation of the box, said folding devices being located beyond the delivery end of the carriers.

8. A machine for folding box blanks having side, end and corner iaps, comprising endless belt carriers for forwarding the blanks, means for partially folding the corner flaps of eachblank while the latter is in contact with the carriers, means for arresting the blank during the partial folding, and means for completing the folding of the blank after it leaves the carriers.

9. A machine for folding box blanks having side, end and corner flaps, comprising carriers for forwarding the blanks, stops movable to position to arrest each blank while in contact with the carriers, benders for acting on the corner flaps while the blank is arrested, and means for completing the folding of the blank after it leaves the carriers.

10. A machine of the character described, comprising a Iblank support, means for delivering blanks sing y thereto, stops against which each blank is delivered to determine its location on the support, folders coper.

ating with said support, a pair of ngers having their upper ends below the path of travel ofthe blank, and means for oscillating said fingers to cause them to engage the blank after it has passed, and push it against said stops.

11, A machine of the character described, comprising a blank support, means for delivering blanks singly thereto, stops against which each blank is delivered to determine its location on the support, oscillating pushers for positively effecting contact of the blanks with said stops, and folders cooperating with said support.

12. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable support for a blank, means for delivering blanks singly thereto, successively operating members coacting with said support to fold different flap portions of each blank while the blank is on said support, and means whereby said support is held stationary at an intermediate point of its vertical movement during the operation of some of said folding members.

13. In a machine of the character described, a throat having a straight vertical passageway through it, a forming block and ejector plate both movable in the same direction to and from said throat, means for delivering blanks singly above said block and plate, and successively operating members co-acting with said block to fold different flap portions of each blank.

14. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable forming block having a recess, a plate vertically movable from and to said recess, means for delivering blanks singly above said block and its plate, and three successively operating members coacting with said block to fold dierent flap port-ions of each blank.

15. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable forming block having a recess, a plate vertically movable from and to said recess, means for delivering blanks singly above said block and its plate, successively operating members co-acting with said block to fold different flap portions of each blank, and means for elevating said plate to cause it to remove a finished box from said block.

16. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable forming block having a recess, a plate vertically movable from and to said recess, means for delivering blanks singly above said block and its plate, successively operating members co-acting with said plate and block to fold different flap portions of each blank, means for elevating said plate to cause it to remove a finished box from said block, and means for retaining said finished box in the upper position to which it is raised by said plate.

17. In a machine of the character described, a hollow1 rod, a vertically movable forming block mounted thereon, a stem passing through said block and hollow rod and carrying a plate at its upper end, means for delivering blanks above the block and plate, horizontally sliding operating members coacting successively with the sides of said block to fold different flap portions of the blanks, and means for differentially reciprocating said rod and stem.

18. In a machine of the character described, a hollow rod, a vertically movable forming block mounted thereon, a stem passing through said block and hollow rod and carrying a plate at its upper end, means for delivering blanks above the block and plate, horizontally sliding operating members successively co-acting with the sides of said block to fold dierent flap portions of the blanks, independent levers connected to said rod and stem, and cam mechanism for actuating the levers differentially.

19. In a machine of -the character described, a pair of fixed members such as plates 147, each having a pair of downwardly extending prongs, a former vertically movable between said plates, flap folders movable toward and from side portions of the former, and means for actuating said flap folders.

20. In a machine of the character described, a pair of fixed members such as plates 147, each having a pair of downwardly extending prongs` a former vertically movable between said plates, two pairs of flap folders movable toward and from side port-ions of the former, and means for differentialliv actuating the folders of each pair.

21. In a machine of the character described, vertical side plates, oppositely movable rods mounted to reciprocate toward and from the ends of the space between saidl plates. pressers at the inner ends of said rods. flanges carried by said pressers, a vertically movable former, and reciprocating folding blades movable adjacent to and parallel with the pressers.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature., in presence of two witnesses.

ELIE lV. LBOMBARDE.

`Witnesses HELEN L. BURNS, JEANNE CnmcKsHANK. 

